THE chief executive of Scotland's biggest animal charity has quit his post with a golden goodbye after a furious backlash over his "outrageous" salary plunged the organisation into a funding crisis.

Head of Scottish SPCA Stuart Earley resigns with pay off after salary row

The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) last night [TUE] confirmed it had parted company with its fat cat boss Stuart Earley, who has been slammed by charity experts and animal rights campaigners for taking home more than £200,000 a year.

It is understood that the charity's board demanded showdown talks with the 59-year-old after suffering a significant slump in donations, with regular contributors refusing to donate in protest at his massive salary.

The two parties have been locked in negotiations for the past fortnight in a bid to find a solution to the crisis and the SSPCA yesterday [TUE] revealed Mr Earley had left with "immediate effect" to pursue "a new challenge".

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It is understood that Mr Earley, who spent almost a decade in the job, has agreed a pay off, which sources say equates to less than a year's salary.

One insider told the Daily Express that the situation was seen as a "blockage" by board members, who felt forced to act.

The source said: "The furore over Mr Earley's salary was making it very difficult for the charity to attract as many donations as it wished.

SPCA

Stuar Earley earned a salary of £185,000 and a £31,000 bonus in 2015

"Over the last while, given the difficult economic climate, people have been saying, 'Hang on a minute, you're asking me for a donation and you're paying this guy more than 200 grand'.

This is what fundraisers have been coming up against when they are knocking on doors every day

Source

"This is what fundraisers have been coming up against when they are knocking on doors every day."

Mr Earley, who oversees the SSPCA's £14.2m annual income and its 358 employees, earned a staggering £216,000 in 2015 - a salary of £185,000 and a £31,000 bonus - as well as pension contributions of £31,000.

He was earning more than the First Minister, who is on £144,687, and the Prime Minister, who earns £143,462, and was one of the highest-paid charity CEOs in Scotland.

Just last month, it emerged that his basic pay had increased by 3.2 per cent from £185,000 to £190,855 this financial year.

In comparison, the chief executive of the RSPCA, who oversees an income of £124.4m and 1,677 employees, receives £130,000.

Mr Earley's raise - which compared to the 1.2 per cent given to frontline staff - came as the charity reported a "challenging year" for fundraising, with income falling five per cent. Meanwhile, total income for the year fell from £14.38m to £14.22m.

ALAMY

Scottish SPCA officer walking a dog in the Dog and Cat Home Glasgow

Insiders have revealed that the charity has a "folder full of letters of complaints" regarding the salary received by Mr Earley, who lives in an £800,000 house near the charity's rescue centre in Fishcross, Clackmannanshire.

Last night one critic, David Craig, the author of the Great Charity Scandal, welcomed his resignation - but was left fuming by the pay-off.

He said: "It is outrageous that somebody should be paid around £2million over nearly ten years to run a small charity.

"Mr Earley is an example of the greed and self-interest of the bosses of so many of our charities nowadays.

"Given the amount of money he has earned over the years, he should have really waived his pay off.

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"It's a disgrace, that having been paid around £2million in donor's money, he wants more.

"The money would be better spent elsewhere, like on all the animal shelters they have closed down."

Mr Earley's departure comes just weeks before the charity's annual report is published and it is understood he is now considering employment abroad.

His duties will be carried out by SSPCA chief superintendent Mike Flynn and finance director David Webster while the charity seeks a successor.

A charity spokesman said: "I can confirm that Scottish SPCA Chief Executive, Stuart Earley has decided to stand down in order to seek a new challenge.

"In light of Mr Earley's decision, the SSPCA Board has agreed that he will step down with immediate effect - allowing him to focus on his future plans and allowing the Society to move forward with its own new chapter..

"SSPCA Chairman, Harry Haworth, has thanked Mr Earley for his 'invaluable contribution' to the positive transformation of the Society over the past nine years."